Diaper



Dec. 20, 1938. J, A. ELLER ET AL 2,141,105..

DIAPER File d Aug. 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Joy/V A. 1 7 A04 779 L fPR Z5 TTORNEY I l J. A. ELLER ET AL Dec. 20, 1938.-

' DIAPER Filed Aug. 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 riz- "ATTORNEY ENVENTORS .75/7 A.

flu. 70/1 A fi p Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE I DIAPER- John A. Eller, Astoria, and Hilton L. Epp, 4 Beechh Application Am t 11,1936, Serial No. 95,348

3 Claims. (01. 128-234) Our present invention relates to improvement in absorbent pads and devices for holding the same in place on human bodies.

The principal objects of the present invention include the provision of a holder so constructed and designed as to afford adaptability thereof to bodies of different sizes; and the provision of ab sorbent pads especially designed and constructed for use with the holder. to prevent leakage of excretions at critical points.

- More specifically stated, the invention resides moval and insertion of pads when required, with out the use of extraneous fastening elements 25 suchaspins; f 1

As will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the accompan'ying drawings, the invention providesnot only for the adaptability of the holders to bodies- 50 of different sizes in'such manner as to prevent leakage at the critical point, but also provides .the utmost in comfort to the infants or persons on whom the holders and pads areused.

In the accompanying drawings we have illus- 35 trated'preferredembodiments of our present invention, and

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a holder constructed in accordance with the inve tion with an absorbent pad constructed in accor ance with the invention to applied thereto; v v v Fig. 2 is a-plan view of an absorbent pad reshoved from the holder and'partlybroken away to show additional moisture absorbing elements incorporated in the ad';

.5 Fig.3 is a view tak on the nnes-a of-Fig; 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective 'view showing the .holder 7 and pad of Fig. 1 inclosed position which it occupies when applied to the body; and

- Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on 0 line 5*5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings theholder is shown as composed of a relatively wide central back panel 6 to which relatively narrow side panels Tare secured as by means of stitches 8. The panels I 5 are relatively wide at their tops and taper to narrow ends 9. 'ihe panel 6 has a depending .elongated flap "I located between the narrow ends 9 of the panels 1.

Obviously, the holder may be made from a single piece of material if desired, and the ma- 5 'terial used in forming the holder, whether it be madeintegralor as several parts as shown in the drawings is a relatively light elastic material capable of withstanding the chemical actions of excretions to which it may be subjected. 1c

The edges of the panels 6, l, and flap III are bound by soft tape II which will not irritate the skin with which they come into contact.

Thevpanels 1 are adapted to fold toward each other over the panel 6, and the flap I0 is adapted to fold upwardly over the panel 6 with its side efies located between the free edges of the panels 1. The curved or notched portion l2 at the juncture of the flap Ill and panel 6 is adapted to cooperate with the reduced or curved lower ends 9 of the panel I to provide openings I3 (see Fig. 4) to accommodate the thighs or legs of wearer adjacent the crotch.

To provide for-relatively unlimited and'minute adjustment of the size of the openings I3 to re-' 2 ,5

ceive thighs of diiferentsizes, and to effectively .prevent leakage, we preferably provide along the confronting or abutting edges of the flap l0 and panels 1, when in folded position, slide fasteners commonly known as zippers or their equivalent- Such fasteners are designated generally by the numeral Il,'and as shown best in Fig. 5 the fasteners are carried by tapes l5 secured to the panels I by stitches it. One of the panels 1 is 'provided with a relatively wide flap .l'! which extendsacross the fastener l4 and preferable partially across the other panel I. A similar relatively wide flap I8 is secured as by stitches [9 to the other panel 1 and tape l5 and extends also across the other'side of the fasteners l4 and 40 tape l5. Thus when the device is closed, as shown in Fig. 4; the body of the wearer as well as outer garments are protected by the flaps I! and I8, so that the fasteners Mcannot contact the skin or body of the wearer. flaps I land l8 are preferably made of soft material which will not irritate the skin of an infant. From the description thus far given it should be apparent especially by reference to Figs. 1

and 4, that the holder is adapted for various uses 50 where absorbent material is to be held within and adjacent the crotch. However the invention is particularly, though not? exclusively, adapted for use on infants. .It should also be obvious that pads or inserts of various types of absogbentma Of course the terial may be placed on the holder when in the position of Fig. l with a portion of the pad extending along the flap l and a substantial portion of the pad or insert disposed on the panel 6 so that when the infant is laid on the pad the flap It! may be folded upwardly through the crotch and across the abdomen. The panels i may be folded inwardly toward the fiap I!) after which the slide fasteners on the abutting edges of the flap I0 and panel I are brought into interlocked relation to any desired extent to effect a snug but comfortable fit around the thighs of the infant to prevent leakage of excretions through the openings I3.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of a specially designed and constructed absorbent pad or insert J r use with the holders previously described. e pads have high absorbent quality, are soft, and therefor comfortable, and are so designed as cooperate with the construction of the holders above described, to contribute to the prevention of leakage through the openings l3 around the thighs of the infant or wearer. Also, as previously mentioned, readily engageable and quickly detachable 'interlocking'means are provided on the pads and on the holder to facilitate insertion and removal of the pads, and to prevent appreciable relative movement between the pads of the holders.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, we have shown in detail a preferred form of absorbent pad attached for use in connection with the holder above described. This padmay be made of any suitable soft, highly absorbent material which does not irritate the skin. Materials from which highly absorbent pads are made are well known and any of the known materials may be made.

Referring to Fig. 2 the numeral 20 designates a relatively large panel of substantially the same shape and dimensions as the panel 6 of the holder so as to fit thereon. Extending from the panel 20 is an elongated relatively narrow panel 2| preferably formed integral with the panel 20 and of substantially the same shape as the flap I0 so as to fit thereon. The upper edge of the panel 20 is relatively thick as indicated by the bead or enlargement 22, and immediately beneath the bead 22 at opposite sides of the panel 2|! are notches 23 which may be arcuate as shown, or rectangular, wedge shaped etc., as desired to serve the purpose presently described. The sides of the panel 20 and panel 2| also have a bead or a thickened edge as indicated at 24, for the reason presently described. The lower end of the panel 2| is-provided with a'thickened edge or bead 25 similar to the head or thickened edge 22, of panel 20. The beads or thick edges 22 and 25 afford reenforcement to the ends of the pad adjacent notches 23 and 26, the latter being provided adjacent the bead or thickened edge 24 of flap 2|.

In Fig. 3, which is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, we have shown the beads or thickened edges 24 along the sides of the pad. The pad including beads 22, 24, and 25 maybe made by superimposing a number of absorbent sheets, preferably previously provided with the notches 23 .and 26, and then pressing the sheets together by suitable dies to provide the central portion of thinner dimension than the edge portions. A

mass of fibers or cellulosic material may bethe panel 6 and fiap In, that this object of the invention is completely attained.

The upper portions of the beads or thickened edges 24 are located on opposite sides of the back and buttocks of the wearer, while the lower portions, that is, the portions disposed on flap I0 fit through 'the crotch and partly over the abdomen when the holder with pad attached thereto is applied as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the openings l3 around the thighs are surrounded at the critical point by the thickened or reinforced edges 24.

To maintain the pad such as shown in Fig. 2 in place on the holders to prevent relative movement, we may provide elastic bands or plain tapes or ribbons 21 across the panel 6 adjacent its top, and similar bands or tapes 28 across the flap III; the bands or tapes 2'! and 28 being spaced apart relatively a distance substantially equal to that between the notches 23 and 26. Thus the pads may be slipped under the bands or tapes 2 1 and 28 so that the bands or tapes will engage in notches 23 and 26 to maintain the pads in place on the holders. To apply the pads to the holders it is simply necessary to open the holders andinsert the ends of the pads under the bands or tapes 2'! until the relative position of Fig. 1 is obtained, and, of course removal of the pads is easily accomplished by reverse operation.

An optional feature of the invention is the provision of additional absorbent material within the pads at the time of manufacture. To this end a relatively heavybut flexible and absorbent.

- sheet 30 may be disposed transversely across the the outer surfaces of the pad, and further provides against leakage of excretions on the critical point.

We'wish to point out that pads embodying the features above described may be provided in various shapes and dimensions, for use in connection with holders of various shapes and dimensions; and that although the slide fasteners or zippers have been found highly desirable because they permit of quick comfortable and effective-adjustment, other means for effecting adjustability of the holders to infants or persons of different sizes may be used with the pads.

We claim:

. 1. A holder for absorbent pads to cover the crotch and regions adjacent thereto on the humanbody, comprising a relatively wide back portion adapted to enclose the region of the body below the waistline at the back and sides and to overlie partially the abdomen at opposite sides thereof, a relatively narrow elongated flap on the lower end of the relatively wide back portion adapted to engage through the crotch and overrespective side edges of said flap portion and said back portion disposed substantially in abut- 'ting relation on lines extending upwardly from the .groin's and converging inwardly across the abdomen, the side edges of said flap and of the relatively wide back portionbeing formed toprovide curved leg openings at the bottom of the holder, and interengageable fastener means on said abutting side edges extending from said leg openings upwardly to the waistline, a fastener operator member slidable longitudinally along said abutting edges for engaging and disengaging said interengageable fastener members of the respective edges to close the holder about the body and means for locking the fastener operator member in any position of adjustment alongs said abutting edges whereby to adjustazlg retain the holder around the thighs with a sn preventing leakage of excretions.

2. In combination with the structure of claim 1', an absorbent pad within said holder said pad I conforming substantially to the configuration of said holder so that at the thigh encircling region and crotch it is conformed snugly to the shape of saidregions and crotch.

3. .In combination with the structure of claim 1, an absorbent pad within said holder, said pad conforming substantially to the configuration 01' said holder so that at the thigh encircling region and crotch it is conformed snugly to the shape of said regions and crotch, and cooperative meanscarried by the pad and holder for restraining the pad against both longitudinal and lateral movement with respect to the holder, whereby to maintain correspondingly formed portions of the pad and cover in proper relative position.

Jomi A. EILER. HILTON L. EPP. Y 

